The invention is intended for use in a reciprocating floor conveyor of a known type having a plurality of side-by-side slats that reciprocate longitudinally of the conveyor. The slats are moved simultaneously in a conveying direction to convey a load and are moved back in the opposite direction sequentially. U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,524, granted Nov. 24, 1992, to the present applicant, discloses one example of such a conveyor and gives a more detailed description of the operation of the conveyor. The conveyor described in the patent and other conveyors of the same general type may be installed in the trailers of truck/trailer combinations or in or on other structures. The conveyors may be used for moving a wide variety of kinds of loads from relatively large discrete objects to particulate material. When particulate material is being conveyed or the load contains or is accompanied by such material, it is desirable to exclude the particles of material from the structure under the reciprocating slats of the conveyor. Excluding the material from the underlying area protects the bearing surfaces of the floor slats and any control and/or drive mechanisms that are located under the floor slats. This protection is important in order to reduce the maintenance requirements of the conveyor and maintain its durability and reliability.